Kigali, Rwanda, Jun 4, 2019 / 10:36 am America/Denver (CNA).
Some 200 Rwandans were blocked by national troops from crossing the border with Uganda to attend a pilgrimage in the neighboring country on Monday.
The pilgrims were turned back amid ongoing tensions between leaders of the two countries.
Janinah Busingye, an official in one of Rwanda's border towns, told AFP, “More than 200 Rwandans who were coming to attend Martyrs Day were stopped by the military from crossing to Uganda and sent back.”
One Rwandan pilgrim told AFP that her group was prohibited from crossing the border by officials who cited security reasons.
Rwanda has blocked people from crossing the border with Uganda for three months, according to the BBC. The closures have affected Rwandans living in border towns, who cross into Uganda to work and buy food.